Batman: Revolution
by Batguy
Summary: The end of my trilogy of postBB, preTDK tales. The events of Loose Ends and Target converge to one epic adventure, with the birth of BLACK MASK, the return of TALIA and the revenge of RA'S AL GHUL! Will Black Mask rule Gotham? Will Ra's destroy it?
1. Chapter 1

_**Batman: Revolution**_

_**CHAPTER ONE: A New Mask**_

Salvatore "The Boss" Maroni sat in his office, arguing with his right hand man, Roman Sionis.

"I told you to bring me Batman's head not news of how FIVE fucking hitmen failed!" Ranted Maroni, "You're outta this organisation, Sionis! I can't take failure! It's only as a favour that I owed your late father that I'm letting you live. Now get out!"

Sionis glared at Maroni. _What right did this MORON have to fire him? His father was Andrei Sionis, and he would not accept such an insult! _Sionis stormed from the building without another word… he hailed a taxi and climbed in, angrily.

"Where to, mac?" Asked the driver.

"Gotham Cemetery. Step on it."

Soon, Roman strode through the dark, gloomy cemetery gates and past many gravestones. He did not even notice the tall, grimacing figure of billionaire, celebrity businessman Bruce Wayne standing over a gravestone, talking in a grave whisper.

Roman soon reached the familiar site of his parents' grave, and looked upon it.

_HERE LIE ANDREI & ANA SIONIS._

_BELOVED HUSBAND AND WIFE._

_1951 & 1947-1998_

_THEY WILL BE FOREVER MOURNED._

Roman smiled madly and chuckled yet more madly, running his hands down his stretched, pale face, his bulging, bloodshot eyes, and then threw open his trench-coat and produced a hefty spade, digging it deep into the ground before the headstone.

"It's time…" he grinned, "…for a new mask."

Earth scattered, piling either side of the deep hole and then Sionis saw the wooden surface of his father's coffin… and thrust his spade down, smashing the wood surface. Splinters flew past the mobster and he laughed as he pulled up a large chunk of the ash wood, slowly withdrawing a crafting knife from his inner jacket pocket. Roman ran his hand through his sweaty, matted dirty-blond hair and flicked the blade out, burying it into the wood and slowly running it around, forming an oval around the size of his head, then he cut eye holes and forced the shape into a slight outward curve and poked out an indentation in the middle of the form. Roman, his hands shaking, slashed free some of his jacket sleeve and tied it around the shape, making it into a kind of crude mask. Finally, Sionis hurled the knife and slowly, oh so slowly and nervously, he donned the mask.

"Yes," he giggled manically, "_Yes! _I have it! My new mask is made and I am a new man… I am… I am… _The Black Mask_!"

And Roman Sionis rose and walked away; a new man, with a new mask… and we all wear masks.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Batman: Revolution**_

_**CHAPTER TWO: Black Reign**_

"Boss" Maroni stared at his new assistant, Leroy, in horror, rage coursing through him.

"_What?" _he hissed, waving his _Luger _pistol wildly.

"Someone's killin' the other bosses off, chief," mumbled Leroy, nervously, "Sophia and Alberto Falcone were gunned down in the street… Carmine was garrotted in Arkham by an orderly… Grissom was knifed by his secretary… Roland Desmond's car was bombed… Dudley Soames… they're all dyin' out!"

Maroni took in Leroy's terrified visage for a moment, and then fired the pistol once. Alexander Leroy's temple erupted, and he was thrown back to the ground, blood pooling around him. Maroni seized up his phone and haphazardly dialled a number:

"Malone? Carter? You there!? I need a ride outta here _now _dammit," he spat, "I wanna…"

The door crashed open. Lenny Malone and Victor Carter were standing vacantly in the entrance. The two bodyguards looked even more idiotic than usual, reflected Maroni as he pulled on his coat and hat on, and hurried towards them.

"Move it, move it, dammit," muttered Maroni… and the two thugs fell forwards, a knife jutting from the back of both. A sinister figure stood in the doorway now, blood running down his hands and lower arms. He wore a ripped black suit, a tattered tie and a bloodied white shirt. In one hand he held a second knife, on the other was a black glove, and he gripped a thick leather-covered briefcase tightly. But it was not this terrifying appearance that Maroni focused on… it was the dark wooden mask, with bloodshot eyes seemingly shining from beneath it, that filled him with unmistakeable dread.

"You don't look pleased to see me, Salvatore." Beneath that twisted piece of craftsmanship, the figure grinned wildly, and saliva, flecked with blood, dripped from beneath the mask.

"Who…?"

"Oh, come now… _don't you recognise me!?_" The freak laughed a kind of sick giggle that did not suit him. It was insane… the kind of thing that freaks like Zsasz specialised in… that, and gleeful slaughter.

"Victor…?"

"No. Not even close, asshole." The masked figure tore the piece from his head and Maroni staggered back. Roman Sionis leered out at him, with his pale face and matted, greasy hair, "You are _so _gonna regret losing your damn temper, Sally. This is gonna take a while!"

"Jesus, gebback, Roman, or…" Sionis silenced Maroni with a slash from the knife that tore across his cheek, rending through the flesh with sickening ease. The madman grinned a terrible smile, and slashed up as Maroni let out a weak _yelp._ The blade split his forehead, blood splashing up onto his sleeve.

"Roman… please… you can have the job back…" whimpered Salvatore as he tripped back to the floor.

"So it ends, eh, old _friend_?" Sionis raised the blade.

"_ROMAN! No! I can…"_

" I don't care about your _damn_ deals… I want it all! And the only way I'll get that…" Sionis paused and chuckled, "… _is over your dead body._"

"Not if I can help it, Roman."

Maroni and Sionis turned and stared at the apparition behind the desk. Batman's cape was wrapped around his body, his masked head bowed.

"Ha! Yer fucked now, Roman!" laughed Maroni, "Hey, Bat…"

The Dark Knight leapt over the desk, and landed on the carpet, then stamped on the mobster's head:

"Shut up, punk."

"Thanks for the help, Batman, but you're _next _on my hit list," sneered Sionis, "But I guess I could bump ya up ahead of that prick down there."

"That won't be necessary," Batman seemed to smile as he brought his fist up into Roman's jaw, shattering the jaw on impact, "You won't need any list in Arkham."

"Fuck you!" Sionis lashed out with a vicious kick and caught the hero across the knees. He knew he was fighting a losing battle… and made his way to the only exit he saw: the window, smashing through the glass and plunging thirteen storeys down… down into the river…

"_Sionis!" _Batman stood at the window, staring down. The water was quite still. Roman Sionis was gone…


	3. Chapter 3

_**Batman: Revolution**_

_**CHAPTER THREE: Revenge**_

Roman Sionis stood in his apartment, naked but for his wooden mask, leering into a mirror, gun in hand. His face was bizarrely twisted from the oddly broken jaw, and the plunge had left splinters of broken glass lodged in his covered face.

"Who's there?" he spoke swiftly, silently.

"You are Roman Sionis, son of Andre and Ana Sionis?" asked the figure in the shadows, speaking in a dignified, cold tone.

"Who wants to know?"

"My name was once Henri Ducard," said the man, as he stepped from the shadows, "But for years now, and forever more, my name is… _Ra's al Ghul._"

"The Head of the Demon?"

"Impressive, you speak Arabic." The man stepped from the shadows. He had greyed brown hair and a goatee, and wore a black suit, shirt and tie. He held a briefcase, "I believe I have a proposition for you. You want the Batman dead… and so do I… among other things. If we work together, I believe we can have a fruitful relationship."

"I'm listening," smiled the masked mobster, "Tell me everything."

"Hello, Miss…?" Bruce Wayne, garbed in a tuxedo that cost more than most people's annual income, strode down the central staircase of Wayne Manor, hand outstretched, towards a tall, thin, blond woman in a green dress.

"Jet, Mr. Wayne," smiled the woman, as he took her hand and kissed it gently, "Jezebel Jet."

"Of course… the _celebrity_ guest," smiled Bruce, "Miss Jet, a pleasure."

He inclined his head slightly and with lightning speed and precision swept two champagne glasses from a tray and handed one to Jezebel.

"To you, Miss Jet," he smiled and they struck glasses, with a _chink. _

He opened his mouth to continue speaking, when they heard screams and gunshots. Jezebel said something which Bruce did not hear, as he slipped away, racing for the building's lower east wing's foundations… _the Bat Cave._

Roman Sionis swaggered into Wayne Manor's atrium, surrounded by a group of thugs, and beside him stood Ra's al Ghul, whose mouth was stretched into a thin smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, remain calm, and you will likely remain breathing," called Sionis lazily, "We only plan on one death tonight."

"That would be mine, I assume." Sionis turned in a flash, to face The Batman, who held his shuriken poised.

"Ah, Batman, our resident vigilante," Ra's smirked.

"You! How…?"

"Ra's al Ghul is a symbol. And a true symbol can never be destroyed. The League of Shadows will rise again… and Gotham will fall." Ra's chuckled, "Over your dead body. Take him!"

The thugs ran at Batman, who moved swiftly and easily, knocking them aside. Soon, they lay senseless, the guests gone. Ra's and Sionis closed in on the Dark Knight, who tensed, like a lion ready to pounce… and then saw Roman bend over and pick something up, holding it raised. It was one of Batman's shuriken.

"Burn, Batman," he smiled… and there was an explosion. The room was ablaze, crumbling.

"NOT AGAIN! _NEVER AGAIN!_" Batman shouted in horror and then Ra's was upon him, and knocked him across the floor.

"FATHER! NO!" There was someone else in Wayne Manor. A woman, garbed in black, clutching a _katana_, a samurai sword, ran in at Ra's, "NO!" She swore in Arabic and struck him a fierce blow, which knocked Ra's down, and he slammed into a burning table, unconscious.

"Talia!" Batman could hardly believe it, as the Arabic woman glanced over to him. _Bang! _A bullet whirred past the Dark Knight's ear, and skimmed by Talia's head, knocking her to the ground, "NOOO!"

Batman ran at Sionis:

"YOU BASTARD!"

And with that Sionis laughed, sidestepped, and hurled the shuriken, well past Batman… past Talia's limp form… and the hurled blade ripped Ra's' throat from his neck, blood spurting everywhere!

"What…?" Batman stared, and then Sionis, laughing manically, stumbled… and tumbled back into the flames, "ROMAN!?"

As the hall ceiling plunged in, Batman ran towards Talia… and rubble fell, blocking his path to her. Talia was stirring as Bruce tried to find his way over… and as she opened her eyes, her gaze fell upon Ra's, her father, one of Batman's weapons having killed him, and on Sionis' burning body.

"You _bastard_," she hissed, and threw her sword like a javelin. It buried itself deep in Batman's shoulder, and she was gone… he stumbled, he fell… and fired his grapple cord, smashing through the window of the manor, blood pouring down his uniform…


	4. Chapter 4

_**Batman: Revolution**_

_**CHAPTER FOUR: Reborn**_

Sionis was screaming, burning, flailing, laughing, howling, writhing… He dived from the flames, as he heard firemen burst in, water spraying across the hall. He saw one, through his scorched eyes, and then he fell… slumping to the ground once again. But he was _alive._

He rose… he touched his burning face… and laughed. He was… he was… he was not simply _alive. Roman Sionis was DEAD… He was reborn! _hh

He was now… _The Black Mask. _

Two firemen were approaching:

"Hey, buddy, you OK!?"

"Oh, I'm far more than _OK_!" Black Mask moved like a cheetah, or perhaps like that speed-of-sound guy in Keystone City, reflected one of the fire-fighters as the man lashed out with a black metallic blade. The man fell, the shuriken protruding from his head.

"Oh my…" began the second fireman and Mask strode forwards and shoved him through the window… down, and down…

The Black Mask laughed… and glanced around. There were _no bodies. NO DAMN BODIES! _But he'd killed Ra's! He'd seen the _bastard_ die… and the girl and the Bat, they couldn't have escaped. They _couldn't_…

He ran, stumbled, and dashed to Wayne's office. He stared at the old grand piano, and played three notes: _C#, F, D._

And there he was. In the Bat Cave. He had no time to look around; he just ran towards a costume on a stand, and… _his mind erupted. _A stick slammed down again and again onto his head. Black Mask yelled out, slipped to the ground…

"Master Wayne, get the hell down here!" He heard a voice, and opened his eyes… the cave swam before him… and an old man in a dressing gown stood several feet away, talking on a mobile phone. Silently, Mask rose, snuck forwards, and seized an old handgun from a workbench. He brought it round, and struck the old man across the head… as, through a waterfall across the cave, a black tank-like vehicle erupted. Batman ejected himself free of the _Tumbler_ and glided with his memory fibre cape at the Mask, landing as the villain lifted Alfred and rammed the gun barrel against his jaw.

"A jaw for a jaw, eh, Bats? Think a bullet will do more'n a fist, asshole?" giggled Sionis… and then a third figure stood in the cavern. Talia al Ghul aimed a rifle, and Sionis smiled.

_The stage was set. The players unmasked. The final showdown was about to begin!_

"So… welcome to the endgame, Batman. Miss _Ghul_, I believe you have a score to settle with our Caped Crusader here… the man who killed your father." The Black Mask laughed.

"I didn't kill…" began the Dark Knight, and Talia fired a short burst of gunfire that knocked the hero to the ground, saved by his Kevlar suit.

"You lying, murdering son of a…" began Talia, and then Batman rose weakly and ran for the hi-tech computer in the cave corner. _Brakka boom! _He was shot into the machine, slumping to the ground.

"I'll kill you slowly, you know, Wayne," hissed Talia. She raised the gun.

_This is all so wrong… _Bruce thought as he lay there, so weak, _…why??? Why, dammit???_

He had thought Ra's al Ghul gone. He had thought Talia at peace. He had thought Sionis dead. And now he had been defeated by his _assumptions_! He rose, anger coursing through him.

"THIS IS FOR ALFRED!" He bellowed and threw a shuriken perfectly, burying it in Sionis' face. The Black Mask fell back, away from the old butler, "THIS IS FOR MY PARENTS!" He tore across the cave, dived as he heard Talia aim and fire… and then he struck Roman across the face with such power that several bones in his hand broke, like twigs, and the mask, now burnt and beaten so it was a blackened part of the man's terrible visage, shattered, "AND THIS IS FOR GOTHAM!"

Batman lay Sionis out with a kick of such force that Black Mask's head was thrown back and he slumped, senseless. The Dark Knight turned to Talia:

"I am not a killer."

"I saved you and you murdered him in _cold blood._"

"It was Sionis…"

"It was your shuriken."

"The footage is on the damn computer. Just look!"

"SHUT UP!" Talia fired, blasting Bruce down, "MY FATHER WAS RIGHT! HE WAS RIGHT! ABOUT EVERYTHING!"

"Your father is…"

"HE WAS RIGHT, YOU SON OF A BITCH! He was _right_."

"Talia, listen to me, Ra's is…"

Talia began to squeeze the trigger of her gun. A wooden stick struck her across the had so hard that it broke into pieces. Talia al Ghul fell, unconscious… _it was over._

"Such a shame," whispered Alfred, "But Miss Rachel will be happy."

"Rachel?" Batman stared at the butler.

"She's back, Master Bruce. She's waiting in the sitting room."

"Tell her I'll be with her, as soon as I've made a couple of deliveries to New Arkham."

Soon afterwards, Bruce walked into the sitting room and sat with Rachel Dawes. She looked much different from when he had last seen her… older, more mature…

"How are you?" he asked straight away, noticing her staring at his hand, which was clutching his side weakly, "Oh… don't ask…"

"Bruce, I came to tell you… to say, well, I'm sorry I left, and… though I don't know if we can be together… you know. Also, well, they're trying to get me a _new boss_, after the _Scarecrow_ thing… you _have_ to vote

Harvey Dent… he's a great guy. And…"

"Why are you really here, Rachel?" Bruce stared calmly at her.

"I had to warn you. Word came in early to me through Captain Gordon… there's a new psycho around. The _joker card_ guy. He's pretty nuts… and he calls himself…"

Bruce looked worriedly at her.

"_The Joker."_

_**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE DARK KNIGHT  
STARRING CHRISTIAN BALE**_

_**COMING SUMMER 2008**_


End file.
